Amongst the Shadows
by Veronica Chadwick
Summary: A crossover between the mythology of L. J. Smith mainly The Forbidden Game and Soulmate and The Phantom of the Opera. Rebekah Lawley is in for a surprise when the character she is playing in her school production is actually her in a former life.
1. Having the Role of a Lifetime

_disclaimer: I do not own the phantom of the opera (leroux, kay, or ALW's versions) or the character's or plots from LJ Smith's The Forbidden Game or the old soul theory from Soulmate. This was just a weird story plot i for some reason thought up and decided to do it. Thanks for reading it._

_A Special thanks to Chelsea for being my beta reader, I am getting the currnt chapters edited and hopefully some new ones up soon. the first 3 chapters should be re postd tonight, and i will be working on my new chapter this week. I had a bit of writer's block, sorry about that._

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**Amongst the Shadows**

**chapter 1**

The dressing room smelt of cinnamon sticks. About half a dozen cinnamon scented candles burnt peacefully around the vanity mirror, setting an exotic glow to Rebekah's features as she stared back at herself. She didn't need the candles really. The dressing room had electricity, but every night after the performance Rebekah felt more complete……more…herself…in the dull candle light.

In the mirror Rebekah saw an ordinary 20 year old young woman. Her curly blond locks fell halfway down her back. Her emerald green eyes looked like jewels sparkling with the flicker of the candle light. She still didn't know why she was cast as Christine Daae in the university's production of _The Phantom of the Opera_. Her friends had persuaded her to try out because they knew it was her favorite story, and they claimed her voice could pull it off marvelously. Rebekah was sure she wouldn't get it; all the modern versions featured a brunette Christine. She had become used to be typecast as she had in sixth grade when the only reason she got the lead in Alice in Wonderland was because she was the only blonde to try out for the part.

But when she went onto the stage four months earlier and belted out the words to "Angel of Music" with her friend Ashley, who wanted desperately the role of Meg (but still didn't get it), words could not describe how she felt. She felt as if the words she sang were _her_ words. She felt as though she _was_ Christine. She almost could have sworn to you right then and there that she _had_ heard the Angel of Music and that he _had_ taught her everything. And her voice, on that day, had surprised even herself. Rebekah knew she could sing, but she had never truly sang until that day on stage. The production manager had actually wept, and denied another the chance to audition. Rebekah was given the role on the spot.

The production was one week into it's month long run. Rebekah Lawley was the show's star, and even at that moment, while staring at herself in the mirror, she could barely believe it was at all real. She was a theatre major at Rosenfield University of California, but she never truly thought that the stage would feel so natural to her. She had always considered herself shy.

It was also this sense of utter disbelief that kept Rebekah sitting at her dressing room vanity an hour after the cast had left. All the cast members had keys to the auditorium, so it wasn't like anyone rushed anyone out or had to say behind. She simply did so because of what she witnessed the second night of the performance. She stared down at the single rose on her vanity. A long stemmed, half bloomed, blood red rose lay harmlessly on the polished wood surface. A black satin ribbon was tied around it. The same thing she had found there after every performance.

At first, she thought it was a romantic gesture from her boyfriend, Ryan. Rebekah knew that Ryan knew she loved the rose the Phantom, Erik, gave Christine in the movie adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webbers play - the play that she was starring in. She thought this, until she thanked him for it and saw the confusion and jealousy in his eyes. If Ryan wasn't the one, who else could have access to her dressing room during the play itself? He was the only one she had told the security that she would allow back there. It all made very little sense.

Then the third night of the performance she stayed behind an hour or so like she had done this very night. She had lit her candles and just sat, taking in the night's performance. Ignoring the rose, trying not to become too intrigued by its presence. That was when she heard the voice. It sounded….elemental; like water running over rocks. Rebekah could never quite catch exactly what the voice was singing, but she knew it was very beautiful. She hadn't been able to discover where it was coming from. She had even resisted the urge to do anything but listen, until now. She was waiting to hear the voice again because tonight Rebekah was going to uncover its mysterious origin once and for all. Rebekah would find out whether or not it had anything to do with the rose as well.

As always the music started about an hour after the building was deserted.

Rebekah felt just like Christine as she turned around and looked at the full length mirror on the farthest wall of her dressing room. She felt almost ridiculous for considering that it may be a secret passage, but she took small steps towards the mirror anyway. Despite the way her heart beat rapidly in her chest, how her mind told her she was imagining it all, and that she was being incredibly dumb, Rebekah took the final step and was now standing a few inches from the mirror. Her hand slowly reached out to touch the smooth, cold surface of the glass. Her reflection looked frightened, possibly because she kind of thought she was losing her damn mind. Stories are not real, especially stories that were fictional and written in 1911. There was no possible way any of that could have happened, and no possible way that her favorite story book character was going to come out of this stupid mirror and take her to his underground lair to make beautiful music with him.

Rebekah laughed nervously. Her hand was tracing the outline of the mirror. The music was gathering momentum……

And then it happened.

Rebekah's hand touched a knot like spot on the upper section of the mirror near the corner, and the mirror slid open. Her mouth gapped wide and she felt herself pinch her own arm to make sure she wasn't just dreaming.

The singing was a little louder now, but Rebekah still couldn't understand a word of it. It made her more frustrated, and she briefly hesitated. Then before sense could tell her otherwise, she went back and picked up one of the cinnamon candles, and headed toward the ominous, cobweb strewn corridor that now stood dark and threateningly before her.

With a deep breath, Rebekah took a step into the passageway and nearly dropped the candle when she heard the mirror slide back into place behind her.


	2. Through the Looking Glass

**chapter 2**

"Oh, fuck!" Rebekah shouted without thinking, and spun around hoping to find a way to open the mirror again. But to her dismay she could not get it to open from that side.

"Crap!"

Rebekah, turned around slowly, not seeing very far in the light from her one candle. The voice could still be heard. It made her uneasy.She came to the conclusion that either she was dreaming or really was crazy Either way, she had no other choice but to head towards it and hope for another passage way out.

It took a few steps only to realize that the corridor ended in a flight of steps. Rebekah remembered she was still wearing Christine's wedding dress, and there was no way she would not get it ruined by exploring a dark, dusty passage wearing it. She groaned and rationalized with herself that she didn't exactly have a choice. She had gone through the looking glass, and was now about to go down the rabbit hole as well. Again, she laughed nervously.

Trying not to trip on the dress, let alone catch it on fire while holding it up and carrying a candle, Rebekah went down a steep set of stairs. She was now in what had to be the basement of the auditorium.

The voice was all around her. But, as far as she could tell, there was nobody down there. Rebekah shivered, and her eyes began to water. For some reason her eyes watered when she was scared. Soon she would probably be in tears of full fledged terror. She needed to find away out of that basement before she completely freaked herself out.

Rebekah stumbled around the rather empty room. There were some chairs stacked up and a pile of rags sat in the corner. The walls were solid and the only opening was the stairway she had just descended. Rebekah's heart fell. She was going to be stuck down there…forever. She was going to starve to death with only the imaginary singing voice there to keep her company.

The moment that she thought that, the singing stopped. She was in complete and utter silence. And then to make matters worse, a gust of cool air circled around her, startling Rebekah and chilling her to the bone. She dropped the candle and the light went out.

"Fuck!" Rebekah screamed! "Oh my God! I'm gonna die!"

"No." A masculine voice said from somewhere behind her, near the staircase, said. "You won't."

Rebekah screamed.

The voice sounded sympathetic. Yet when Rebekah heard it this time she recognized it as the same voice she had heard singing. It was elemental, velvety even. It almost gave one the sensation of feeling your tired limbs glide through satin sheets. Rebekah's body, which had been frozen from the cool air, was instantly warmed up. It was all because of a voice. A voice which now spoke to her and was coming closer. Rebekah backed into the wall.

"Don't be afraid. If I was going to harm you I would have. I have no desire to see you…suffer." The way he said the last word was interesting, as if he chose his term carefully.

"Who….who are you? What do you want?" Rebekah was ashamed at how tiny her voice sounded.

When the voice responded, it sounded amused…yet distant and sad. "You can call me Julian. I don't ask for much, just that you listen."

"Julian? Is that your name?" she asked, slightly calmer.

"It is for now. Until I wish it otherwise." The voice said.

Rebekah squinted trying to see the source of the voice. "Why don't you keep the same name? You've had more than one?"

The voice laughed. It made Rebekah's spine freeze, and her heart pound. The laugh was beautiful. "I have had many names. Different names for different ages."

Rebekah almost laughed at him, but then he said something that stopped her cold. "As have you."

Rebekah blinked. "What? Who the hell are you?"

Then out of no where there was light. It took a few moments for her eyes to adjust. The man standing before her looked to be somewhere around twenty three or twenty five. He was holding a torch, which was the source of the light that filled the room. He had white-blonde hair, that was slightly long on his forehead, spilling into his eyes. His eyes were what caused her to literally stop breathing. She fainted. For the first time in her life, Rebekah fainted.


	3. Lost in a Clear, Blue Haze

**chapter 3**

Rebekah woke up with a groan. She felt like she had been ran over by a Mac truck. Then she realized, as she opened her eyes, that she was still in the weird basement under the school's auditorium. The strange man, Julian…or whoever he was, was watching her intensely. His eyes were such a brilliant shade of blue that you could get lost staring at them, trying to figure out exactly what color they were. All the blues in a box of Crayolas couldn't compare. It was like looking at the heart of a blue flame.

She was lying on the pile of rags, or what she thought were rags. They weren't as dingy as Rebekah thought they were. They were soft, like cashmere.

He sat in a chair close by, never saying anything. Just watching. He looked sad, thoughtful….alone.

Rebekah didn't know what to say.

Eventually, he spoke. "How are you feeling?"

Rebekah stared back, uneasy. Not answering.

Julian sighed. "Well, this is off to a great start. I thought for sure it would be less awkward this time…"

She cut him off. "This time? What the hell are you talking about. Why do you keep saying things like that? I don't know you. I have never seen you before in my life, I think I would remember…"

This time Julian cut her off. "You do know me. You know me better than you think you do. And soon you will remember, some you might already remember and just not realize that you do."

Rebekah was both annoyed and confused. This guy had obviously lost his damn mind.

When she didn't say anything, he spoke again. This time sounding annoyed himself. "Look. Do you think it is coincidence that you got the part of Christine in the play? The reason you got it is because you lived it. You _were_ Christine."

Rebekah laughed. Out of nerves of course, but she had apparently found her mysterious rose giver. "Right. I'm the reincarnation of Christine Daae. And what are you going to tell me next, that you are Erik?", she said sarcastically.

The serious look on Julian's face told Rebekah all she needed to know. "Oh my God! You _are_ insane!" She wasn't laughing now. She was terrified. There is no telling what this psychopath would do to her if he really believed he was the Phantom of the Opera and she really was Christine.

"Rebekah," he sounded almost helpless. "I'm not crazy. And I need you to listen to me. I can tell you everything, but I don't think I have time to. You are in danger…"

"The only thing endangering me, buddy, is you. So if you don't mind, tell me how to get out of this basement. Please! I have a boyfriend, he will be worried when I don't call him and he will be here instantly and if he hears me shout, he'll…"

"He can't do shit. Just like the other time. He wants to act tough, but all he is an annoying boy who gets in the way and ultimately causes you to get killed. You need to listen to what I have to tell you Rebekah!" His mood had gotten dark and angry, instantly.

Rebekah couldn't help it; she started to cry.

"Oh, that's really great. Crying isn't gonna make it any easier." Julian said sarcastically.

"What…what are you gonna do…to…to me?" Rebekah sniffled. Julian's features softened as if her trembling lip took all the anger from his being. "I'm sorry, I… I just don't have very much time. If I want to save you this time, I can't let things happen as they have the last two times."

"Reincarnation isn't real." Rebekah pleaded. "It just doesn't happen, it isn't possible…"

His dark mood returned. "Nothing is impossible. You are an old soul. I didn't think you were the first time, when you were Christine. But then when I saw you not too long ago, when you came back as Jenny Thornton. I knew. And then, I found out how the tragedy happened, once it happened the second time. I don't know why you came back in another body so quickly, it seems as soon as you died you were brought back again this time. That is not exactly normal, but maybe it's the gods wanting to help out for once…" he seemed suddenly doubtful. "…but why would a god help a Shadow Man?"

Rebekah was beyond confusion now. She was tired. She just wanted to sleep.

"A…Shadow….what?"

Before he could answer she was asleep. Rebekah was only slightly aware that Julian had picked her up and was carrying her before she was into a deep unconsciousness.


	4. Going Back to 1870

This time Rebekah woke up in her own bed. She was about to dismiss the whole ordeal when she realized she was still in costume, and she was wearing a ring. 

At first she thought it was the prop ring, but looking at it now, she noticed a slight floral design around the outside, it wasn't noticeable at first glance. She pulled it off. It had an inscription on the inner band.

_All I refuse & thee I chuse_.

She put the ring on her nightstand and got up to change. She would have to take the dress back to the auditorium before the costume department missed it. Luckily tonight there was no performance, she felt like a damned zombie. And she was so confused. That man had said he was Erik. Apparently he doesn't know the story to well, sure in the movie he was hot…seriously, Gerard Butler is so far from hideous,… but the real Erik looked like a corpse. She laughed to herself. It had to be a dream. Ashley probably took her out and got her wasted, and she probably changed back into the dress for Ryan… Oh GOD! What could she have done while in the dress!

She panicked. She picked up the phone and called Ryan. Of course, the bastard wasn't home. Which just caused Rebekah to wallow in her confusion.

She went down stairs for breakfast and found nobody home. She checked the garage, but it was empty. Back in the kitchen she reached for a box of cereal and turned to get a bowl. The cereal box fell to the floor.

Julian was leaning against the wall watching her with those eyes.

"How…how…." Rebekah stuttered.

Julian only smirked. "I brought you home, don't I get a chance to explain?"

Rebekah couldn't help but realize how incredibly good looking he was, she noticed it last night, but was too afraid to dwell on it. But now, in the day light…. Her heart skipped a beat.

He didn't wait very long to se if she replied. He stood up straight, he was tall, he wouldn't have to lean over too far if he were to kiss her. She felt herself blush. The man was psychotic, and she is daydreaming about making out with him. Well, he was gorgeous.

He strode over to her, and took the cereal box out of her hands and placed it on the counter. He was so close t her now. Se could feel his breath, warm am heavy. She couldn't force herself to look him in the eyes. If she did…she could do something stupid. And then what would she tell Ryan? Oh God, Ryan! She hadn't even thought about him since she seen Julian that morning.

The spell was broken. She tried to inch out of his reach, but his hand clamped around her wrist. "Let m go." Rebekah tried to pull away but he pulled her towards him.

"I'm sorry, I… can't. I can't lose you a third time." He sounded like a little boy.

That did it. Rebekah screamed for help. She almost expected his other hand t clamp onto her mouth, but it didn't happen. Instead she felt his lips trembling against hers. They were warm and soft, and desperate. It was as though he was trying to pull all of her anguish out of her through the kiss, and with out meaning to she was kissing him back. It felt as though her lips were made o be kissed by his. His other hand slipped around her waist , drawing her to him. Her free hand found it's way to the back of his neck. The kiss was quickly turning into a greedy, famished, hunger. As though they had both waited lifetimes for that kiss. She tried to pull away.

He let go of her wrist and wrapped that arm around her to. His kisses leaving her mouth and tracing the outline of her neck. Despite her mind's protest, she groaned. His kisses came faster as though it had been an invite. When he returned to her mouth, she thought she was going to sob with the need to let him take her, all of her right there.

Then the doorbell rang. There were frantic knocks on the door and the bell rang again. She heard Ryan calling her name.

Julian looked annoyed. Rebekah initially felt the same way before realizing what had just happened. Then she shoved him away from her.

Julian stopped her from passing him to whisper to her, "You know you felt it. The sense of belonging, of knowing. We were meant to be together. Get rid of the boy and I will tell you al I can for now."

She felt uneasy, but she just nodded.

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Ryan banged three more times and rang twice more. She had to be home, she just had to. If something had happened to her because her stubborn ass had been so dead set on walking home herself last night…

The door opened. Rebekah looked like had just had the worst night's sleep ever. Her lips looked like she had been licking them all morning. She must have ran out of chapstick. "Ryan," she sounded almost surprised, "What are you doing here so early?"

Ryan stared blankly at her. "Early?… Rebekah, it's two in the afternoon."

Rebekah's face fell. "What? No, that's impos…." She looked at her watch, which read two ten, "..Impossible… I, wow, I could have sworn I was only ten just five minutes ago." Her thoughts were spinning. How long had she been kissing Julian just now…it seemed like only a minute or two, it wasn't possible.

Ryan tried to wedge himself into the house. "Are you feeling okay? Want me to drive you to the doctor?"

Rebekah just blocked his way. If he found Julian he would surely flip his fucking lid, he could be so jealous. And she could feel her swollen lips flashing like a great big billboard for his suspicions.

"No, uh, Ryan now is probably a bad time. I was just so wrapped up in studying for my English test tomorrow I just lost track of time is all. Thank you for stopping by, I really gotta finish…"

"Oh, wait, Uh, Rebekah. The reason I came by, really, was because the costume department called looking for you. They are missing the dress you wear in the last act, and they tried calling and got no answer…"

"Oh. Silly me." Rebekah laughed nervously. "I was so tired last night I completely forgot to change. Could you drop it by there for me?"

Ryan smiled at her warmly. "Sure."

She told him to stay put and that she would go get it. She came back with the dress only to find he was not in the doorway. He was in the kitchen.

Her heart thumped. Where was Julian?

Ryan was in the kitchen munching on the cereal she Julian took and placed on the counter. "Sorry," he said after chewing a piece of dried cereal, "I was hungry."

She tried to keep a straight face and smiled at him warmly. Ryan closed the cereal and walked over to her. He hugged her. "I was so scared that you were stolen away from me and I'd never see you again."

Rebekah didn't know what to say. She was to nervous that Julian would walk in and break Ryan's heart. He was so sensitive and all.

Ryan took the dress, and left. She promised she'd call when she couldn't study any longer.

When she closed the front door and turned around she ran straight into Julian. She yelped.

Julian suppressed a snicker, and took her hand. He led her back to the dining room.

Rebekah sat down and stared at him. What could he possibly to say to sound less crazy?

Julian took a breath, " I know that telling you about what happened in 1870 probably won't make you believe me. But, I can show you."

Rebekah tried not to laugh at him, well she was right. He sounded even more crazy. "And what are you going to do, take me to your magical time machine and show me the Paris Opera House?"

Julian looked hurt. "No, but, I can pull out the memories hidden so deep in your subconscious that you can't remember them while fully awake."

Rebekah didn't know what to say.

Julian explained, "look, I'm not exactly human…"

"What are you a vampire?" Rebekah retorted.

"A Shadow Man." Julian said.

"A what?" Rebekah said trying her damnedest not to crack up.

"To put it bluntly," he paused, " A demon, from the ancient world. A dark elf. The bogey man. I live in the world of Shadows, the youngest of an all male race. In the nineteenth century I found a way to leave my world, in doing so the Gods punished me making my face deformed for defying their rule of restraint. I took on the name Erik, tried to live amongst the humans. But they were to appalled by the face that the Gods forced me to wear, that instead of living amongst the humans, I was forced to remain amongst the Shadows."

Rebekah couldn't hold it in anymore. She laughed. She was hysterical.

Julian grabbed her arm and made her sit up straight "I am not joking with you. You need to listen." His face changed before her eyes. His features sank in and his hair darkened to a dreary tawny color. He looked like he was lacing a nose and his eyes were sunken in like a skulls. He smelt of decay.

Rebekah gasped. She was looking at Leroux's description of Erik!

"Do you believe me now?" Julian's voice boomed at her.

Rebekah shut her mouth and nodded. What she had just seen made no since.  
"Good." Julian's face returned to the flawless, gorgeous face he was used to. "Now, back in 1870."


	5. A Fleeting Glimpse Into the Past

Chapter 5

"So how exactly are you supposed to take me back to 1870?" Rebekah asked when Julian didn't do anything.

"Do you trust me?" He asked.

"No." Rebekah said without hesitation.

Julian grimaced. "Well, in other cases that would be wise of you never to trust a Shadow Man, but I am not like the others of my race."

"What are they like?" Rebekah asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.

"They, the Elders, have evolved to physically portray the evils they have caused. They have withered and become deformed beyond mental comprehension. My days as Erik was only a slight example of how hideous they have become."

"How did you become able to mask the deformity like you just did, by morphing into this face?" Rebekah asked.

"This is my real face, the deformed face is not. It is what I would look like if I gave in to my heritage, or the beginning of a long series of sick deformities. The Gods wanted me to feel that burden, to frighten me into going back to Niflheim, to the Ice Hell from where I came from."

"Ok, but how did you conquer it? You obviously have." Rebekah was dying to know.

"We will get to that, eventually." Julian smiled despite himself when he saw her pout. At least she was paying attention now.

Rebekah watched as he walked over to the pantry door and traced an upside down, angular "U" on it. He turned around and held his hand out to her.

He looked gorgeous. The white as snow hair falling into his eyes that had thickest eyelashes she had ever seen on a guy. He was in all black, the pants tight enough to make ever inch of him apparent, with out being too tight on his body. His black shirt clung to his lean, but well defined torso; his arms were tan and muscular. His eyes glittered like sapphires under the ocean, part of a hidden treasure that only she was meant to find.

Ryan was forgotten. She took his hand.

He opened the pantry door, and instead of food and soft drinks, there was a corridor lined with candles. She could hear people speaking in French. And what was more strange, even though she didn't know French at all, she could understand what was being said. Someone was talking about how the Opera Ghost had tried to kill the diva, La Carlotta, with a backdrop. The door to her pantry disappeared. It literally vanished after they walked through.

"Where are we?" Rebekah asked Julian.

He looked back at her. "I think you know exactly where we are."

"The Paris Opera house, 1870?" She asked uneasily.

Julian nodded.

"But…but how?" Rebekah asked. Julian took her hand and started pulling her towards the main auditorium. Golden statues gleamed, the polished floor shined. The building was beautiful. Two men came walking towards them. Julian stopped. The two men were mumbling about the Opera Ghost, and 20,000 francs. Then they walked right through Rebekah and Julian, as if they weren't there.

"What? How? Huh?" Rebekah looked at Julian, eyes pleading for an explanation.

"They can't see us. We are real, they are just a memory repeating itself. I took you to a place in between Niflheim and Midgard, your reality. I can make things happen as I want. I used this method before on you; I forced you to live out your nightmares in a game for your life. I was so agitated from losing you the first time, I thought if simply loving you didn't work the first time, playing for you would work, but your will overpowered me."

They entered the main auditorium. Aristocrats were arriving for the performance of _Faust_.

"You need to see how it happened. How it really happened, both times. It is the only way I can keep it from happening again.

"Keep what from happening?" Rebekah was about to insist he tell her more when the singer performing Margarita began to sing. She sounded just like Rebekah.

Rebekah turned and looked at the stage, She saw herself. Blond hair, green eyes, small frame. She was Christine Daae. She felt tears sting her eyes. She couldn't be Christine. She couldn't have left that poor soul beneath the Opera House, alone. Not her. She felt herself start to fall, the emotions too much.

When she thought she was gonna hit the floor, however, she found herself in Julian's arms.  
"It's hard to comprehend, I know. But there isn't time to regret or to deny it. Come on, you are about to meet me in the flesh for the very first time."


	6. Personal Demons Revieled

Chapter 6

They made it back to the dressing room before Christine. Rebekah still had to consider her someone different. So they look and sound alike, big deal. Julian and Rebekah stood and watched as Christine came into the room, and saw the single long stemmed rose. She glared at Julian with that, he just ignored her. Christine then heard the music, and eventually followed it into the passage behind the mirror.

Julian and Rebekah followed close behind. Rebekah looked at him. She wondered how much it was taking out of him to project all these memories around them. "Did you build that passage in my dressing room back at Rosenfield?"

Julian looked at her, puzzled at first. "What? Oh, no. Behind the mirror in your dressing room was another place like this. It existed between my world and yours, unless I want it there, you will never be able to cause the mirror to open up again."

Rebekah was slowly starting to take what he said at face value. She figured, since nothing made sense anyway, she might as well give in an believe what he told her, because nothing on it's own made sense.

"So, how much of Leroux's novel was based on truth?" She asked.

"Good Ole Gaston." Julian smiled. He was not just a drunk reporter with dreams of the writing. Most of what he wrote was accurate. Well, minus some characters, the murders. Well most of them, and some minor details. But when he said the Opera Ghost did really exist, he did. I was the Opera Ghost. Though, what he thought was my body was not my body."

"Body? Oh, you mean the corpse wearing the gold ring they found that he considered to be Erik?… er…You.?"

Julian didn't want to tell her, but he had to eventually, might as well tell her now. "About that. That was not Erik's, …my body. It was yours…. Christine Daae's."

Rebekah stopped dead. "How….who….?"

"I don't know. I wish I did. All I knew is it happened after you left me. You and the Vicomte left and no one saw either of you again, until they dug up your body, still wearing the ring I gave you." He reached in his pocket and pulled out the ring she had been wearing that morning. "This ring."

The walked on in silence. Watched as Christine and Erik made their way into the little house. Julian grimaced, and time sped up around them. He didn't want her to see something.

"Why aren't we going in?" She asked,

"You pull off the mask. I lose my temper. I force you to vow the oath on the inside of this ring. You put on the ring. I take you to your dormitory." He said coldly.

"Oath?"

Julian repeated the words of the ring, "All I refuse & thee I chuse." You swore to love me and only me. I forbade you from seeing the Vicomte. And threatened that if you lost the ring I would claim his life." He looked distant. "I didn't mean to be so cruel. I was furious that I had found this new emotion forbidden among my race. Shadow Men were considered incapable of love. And then with the face I was forced to wear, I was incapable of gaining love. Then I learned that even with the face I have now, my true face, you still chose him over me." He looked bitter.

Rebekah bit her lip. "I'm sorry."

Julian sighed. "What I don't understand," he started. "Is how I watched you read the novels based on my life as Erik. I watched you weep for him…for me. I watched you long to be with me, as him. But when you had the chance you turned me away. That's what I don't understand."

A single tear shone in the rim of his dazzling blue eye. Rebekah felt like a betrayer.


	7. Snow White and the Wicked Witch

_sorry it took so long to update, I had finals for summer classes and I've been busy. I also had to rewrite this entire chapter because my computer deleted it. sigh I will try to have more writen soon :D

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Chapter 7

One minute they were slowing approaching the little house under the opera house, as time moved slightly faster around them, the next they were in a cemetery. In front of them was a rather big tomb with the name "Daae."

"Her father's grave." Rebekah mumbled, not meaning to say it out loud.

Julian looked at her, and gave a reassuring smile. "Yes, her father's grave. Your Father's grave. This is the last time you were able to see it, I believe."

"What do you mean the last time? She could have seen it again after she left…." Rebekah looked at her feet now instead of him, "..After she left you, she could have seen the grave once more before whatever happened to her. Couldn't she?"

Julian's face showed no emotion. "The only grave Christine Daae visited after leaving me behind was her own makeshift grave beneath the Opera. Right under my nose and I couldn't save her."

Rebekah felt increasingly uncomfortable. She watched as Christine arrived and knelt down at the foot of the tomb to pray. She felt as though she was intruding on someone's privacy. Then she remembered that in this dream she was only seeing herself as the character she played in real life. If this wasn't proof enough that she needed to take a few sick days off from the performance, she didn't know what was.

"You aren't dreaming." A voice startled her. Julian was staring into her eyes, their gaze locked instantly and she thought she would never be able to break free of it. His eyes, she wasn't sure she had noticed it before, were fathomless, vivid, blue pits that held countless years of knowledge, tragedy, and betrayal. They were sinister, they were scary even, but they were the most beautiful and unforgettable eyes she had ever seen. And even though she braced herself every time he glanced her way, she was never prepared to gaze into them. She was nothing but a fly caught in a venus fly trap; the eyes beckoning her to him, and if she were to let her guard down she would be his prey. She thought about what had happened in her own kitchen and trembled. She watched his lip kind of play at a smirk, as though he knew what she was thinking about, before continuing with, "It may seem dream like, with the snow that you can't feel the cold from, and with the watching without any way to be seen, heard, or felt..., but this is necessary. We need to find out as much as possible to figure out who killed you, so it doesn't happen again."

"Are we going to go through he second time as well?"

He grimaced. "I would rather not, I was beyond cruelty then. I was so determined that I took selfishness to a whole new level."

Rebekah started to ask about Erik's selfishness, but out of nowhere a violin started playing, coming from within the Daae tomb. It was the most beautiful music she had ever heard. It made her want to smile, cry, and even sing.

Julian glanced at her and began to stroll around the cemetery. Rebekah followed. "So if you can repeat these memories like this, why couldn't you do this yourself? Why do you need me?"

Julian turned around and looked at her as though he didn't understand her. "What was that?"

Rebekah looked around as well. She saw that Raoul, the Vicomte, had arrived and was hopelessly trying to persuade Christine to leave with him. Julian noticed to and said, "Don't worry about him yet. He isn't important right now. There is someone else in this cemetery."

Rebekah wanted to smart off and say "Yeah, us" but she didn't. She did, however, get her first close look at Raoul who was the splitting image of Ryan, only with a ponytail tied with a little bow. She suppressed a giggle.

Then Julian took off in a run, he was so graceful that she almost stayed put to watch him, she almost didn't think to follow him. He stopped suddenly and she plowed into him. Rebekah fell flat on her ass in the snow. He turned around, he almost looked annoyed, and helped her up. She had noticed he had pretty rapid mood swings and was getting frustrated by it, but she figured the dream would end sooner if she cooperated.

She leaned on a tombstone to catch her breath and then she saw why he had come to a stop. Footprints in the snow. In the distance she could see a figure moving towards a carriage. Without waiting for Julian, she started running towards it, she didn't have time to solve mysteries in her sleep all day, she needed to solve the dream so she could wake up. Julian would go away, which she almost regretted, but then Ryan and her could continue their relationship in peace, and no more nightmares.

Nightmares. She cringed. She hadn't told him about the nightmares. Blood, a woman laughing, weird symbols, people screaming…. It didn't seem connected, did it?

She was almost to the carriage when it started to pull off. She caught a glimpse of the person in the carriage window. It was a woman with curly black hair. The woman who haunted her nightmares that couldn't possibly be connected.

Julian was now at her side. "Recognize her?"

Rebekah shuddered. "She…I have this reoccurring nightmare, that woman is always in it."

Julian's face remained serious, and softened only so slightly to show recognition. "Of course she is. It is your subconscious trying to warn you from the cycle that has been repeating itself. The woman in that carriage, who is in your nightmare, has got to be part of what ever happened to you…to Christine. That woman is none other than La Carlotta."


	8. Paper Faces on Parade

**Chapter 8**

Rebekah was stunned for a brief second. Julian just said La Carlotta had a taken part in her murder…. In Christine's murder…

But then, as briefly as the shock had came, it went, and Rebekah burst out giggling uncontrollably. She had a brief alternate movie scene pop into her head: _Carlotta pissed that she had bed smacked down by a stage backdrop. "Bye Bye! I'm really leaving! Get my Doggie! Bring my Doggie! I Kill-a you ALLLLLL!"_

This only made her laugh harder. Julian, she could see out the corner of her now-watering-eyes, looked like he was gonna pop a vein in his forehead. He was starting to turn red, she knew he would yell at her any second now.

Instead the cemetery got really blurry and she realized it was gone, and they were now at some Masquerade Ball.

The people were all elaborately costumed, and she watched as everyone turned and stared at the top of the gigantic staircase. There he stood: The Red Death.

Rebekah had to admit, he was fucking hot. Facial deformity or not, what that man could do to red velvet….

Julian was staring at her again. She cleared her throat and stared at her feet.

Rebekah felt her arm being dragged away from the hot guy in red and she was reluctant to obey, until she remembered that Julian, who was insistent they move away from the actual scene, was supposed to be the guy who was wearing the red…. It was really confusing. And then she thought, tf she had to relive these supposed memories she should at least get to enjoy them. Rebekah realized they had stopped moving, and she still had her gaze on the Red Death. Julian was getting annoyed.

"Oh. NOW you like it? Well damn, if you like it so much now…. never mind." He took a few more steps, leading her somewhere unknown, then turned back around. "If you like it so damn much I could always wear it for you again."

"With the mask?" Rebekah asked in a barely audible voice.

Julian's jaw gapped. "And here I was thinking I had issues."

"Say you'll wear the cape too, and I will pretend you didn't insult me just then."

Julian grumbled something that sounded "Fucking Hell," and continued to pull her towards the corridor leading to the chapel.

They entered the small hallway to hear hushed voices. "Damn it, Vicomte, why the hell not!" said a woman's voice.

They got closer to see Raoul as he responded, wearing a white domino, "Because I love Christine, not you. Her."

The woman stepped out of the shadows wearing a golden dress with massive cleavage, Rebekah looked at her own feeling like she was lacking. Julian chuckled. He was starting to annoy her with that, it was getting weird. Could he really read her mind?

She focused on the woman, who was taking off her butterfly mask, and revealed her self to be La Carlotta. Carlotta and Raoul? Rebekah giggled again, but stopped when he gave her that damned look again. It wasn't as though the memories could repeat. She still needed clarification on how this all worked, but before she could ask, Carlotta slammed Raoul into the wall and pulled a dagger out of her garter. Even though she was slightly chubby, though not fat, she looked like she couldn't be that strong. Yet she was proving that impression wrong at the moment. She put the dagger to his throat.

"Vicomte. Listen to me, and listen carefully." Her Italian accent was strong, but not as hard to understand as Rebekah would have thought. "You will not interfere with that wretched chorus brat and piss him off again! First the backdrop! Then my voice! And then, if you do not recall a chandelier falling on a woman and killing her. If that stupid ghost..." she said the last word with criticism, "..wants the little toad so bad let him have her. I want to sing again! My dignity is lost, and the only way to get it back would be to rid myself off Christine, or marry into a title."

Raoul stammered, but what ever he said made no sense to her ears.

Carlotta stuffed the dagger back into her garter and lowered he gown to hid it. She walked away with out looking back. Raoul looked bewildered. Then he too left.

Rebekah was completely confused now. "So she doesn't really want me dead, but she wants me away, but she doesn't want Raoul-who would be the obvious person to take me away- to do it, because she wants him to marry her so she could be a noble woman?"

Julian sighed. "Well, so far that is all we got, the other memories of the opera that might hold the keys to what we are looking for are so buried in your subconscious I can't pull them out. Something needs to trigger the memories."

"So you can't read my thoughts-- just my subconscious?"

"That's right. I read fears, that is why I can only pull the memories that are related to what ever happened. It scared you, I would say 'to death' but it would be humorless, and I think the years have buried it so deep to keep you from possibly remembering in time…"

"Yeah this is great and all but I have things to do, people to see. We'll have to finish up some other time."

"There might not be another time." Julian looked hopeless now, and it almost convinced her to stay. But she needed to clear her head.

Julian shrugged. "Very well, but only to make sure no one thinks you are missing and let them know all is normal and well…"

"But it isn't normal." Rebekah said.

Julian smiled lightly, "They don't need to worry their pretty little heads over something they wouldn't know about.

With that Julian made another angular symbol and a door appeared on the stone wall ahead of them. They came out into Rebekah's kitchen.


	9. A Warning

**Chapter 9**

Rebekah sighed. Her kitchen seemed so inviting. She turned to thank Julian for bringing her back, but he wasn't there. There wasn't even a sign that he had been there at all, or that they came out of the wall instead of the pantry in which they left.

Nervous laughter escaped her lips. She believed she went through time by walking into her pantry. Her pantry!

Rebekah looked at the counter where the cereal box taunted her. Her face grew hot. She could feel Julian's lips on hers like the kiss was on instant replay. He said he was a demon. Could he be like an Incubus, there with her now, trying to make her squirm?

Rebekah felt ridiculous. Outside, the sky was growing dark. Pressing play on the answering machine, she found 3 messages. The first was from her parents, they had traveled a few cities over and decided to stay a few nights. Rebekah rolled her eyes. _Must be nice to be in love_. The thought shocked her, she loved Ryan, and always had. She felt guiltier when the second message was Ryan.

"_Rebekah. Are you there? You missed rehearsals! The director dude said that if you aren't at the auditorium in time tonight your understudy will play Christine for the rest of this week. Need I remind you that Jessie has been dying for a chance to get your part? I'll be by around five tonight to pick you up. Are you sure you aren't ill? Anyway. I gotta get back to work. See you at five. Love you."_

If Rebekah wasn't ill before, she felt ill now. She had missed rehearsal? She never missed rehearsal! She looked at the clock. It was nearly five, and the date under the digital clock portrayed what had made her ill. It was now Monday! She left with Julian the day before: Sunday. How was it possible? It didn't seem like a day had passed.

Her thoughts were left to float aimlessly through her now aching head as the next message sent a shiver down her spine. It was from a woman. A woman Rebekah didn't recognize at all. Her voice was slightly accented. A bad feeling rippled through her veins.

"_Rebekah. I know you don't know who I am, but I assure you that I am no more than a friend. I am calling to warn you about Julian. I know he's been around you a lot lately. He thinks he is some supernatural being. He isn't. In brief, he needs help. Clinical help. Don't let him mess with your mind with those pretty little eyes of his. You aren't the first woman he has driven to madness by pretending to be more than human. We haven't met, but we will. I'll meet you backstage after the performance next Friday. Until then, have a nice week."_

Rebekah replayed the message. How did she explain what happened if he was insane. Did he slip her a drug? Did she hallucinate it all? Her head was pounding. It didn't help when Ryan practically beat down the door moments later.

With a groan of protest, Rebekah opened the door. Ryan had one hand on her forehead checking her temperature and one hand pulling her out the door in all of three seconds. She barely had time to lock the door before he started dragging her to the car.

"Are you okay? Can you sing? Do you feel up to acting? Can I get you anything?" Ryan was rambling on. Rebekah wanted to strangle him.

"I'm fine Ryan. I just got so caught up studying that Ifound myself to be overly exhausted. I slept most of the day, right through my alarm clock even. I can't believe I missed rehearsal. I bet Jessie was positively beaming at doing my lines."

This seemed to satisfy Ryan and stop his obsessive ranting that would make any mother proud. "She's going to be so disappointed when you walk in there with your hair all windblown and…." He stopped walking at the foot of the driveway. Rebekah instinctively put a hand to her head. "Where were you?"

Rebekah fought back a groan at his angry tone. "What do you mean 'where was I?' I was right here. I didn't brush my hair, and I was asleep most of the day. I have a hair tie." She pulled one off her wrist and tied her hair back in a tight knot, hiding any sigh of disarray that could have been seen.

Ryan stared at her awkwardly, before sighing and opening the car door for her. He always did that, even when Rebekah was in a foul mood and complained that she could open a door on her own. She silently told herself she was only being bitter towards Ryan because she had just finished her monthly cycle and her grumpiness always came after instead of during or before the menstrual period. In her mind she outwardly denied any involvement with big blue eyes that people yearned to write poetry about…. But those eyes….

She shook herself, thankful Ryan was still outside the car on his way to the driver's side.

Ryan got in the car without another word to her. Rebekah wished she knew what going on in that brain of his, but was too thankful he was done with his ranting to pry. They continued to the auditorium with out so much as a yawn between them.


	10. Whatever Happened to Blissful Ignorance

**Chapter 10**

After the show, Rebekah found herself in her dressing room amongst the cinnamon scented candles once again. Ryan was intent on hanging around, but she assured him she was fine. It took about half an hour to do so, but he had finally left her, reluctantly.

So now, staring at herself in the mirror, Rebekah reflected on her flawless performance. Her hands fiddled with the black ribbon on the rose which, as always, was awaiting her return. In the mirror her reflection stared back at her. Instead of imagining what it would be like to be Christine Daae, she kept seeing herself as she had seen Christine on the stage back in Paris. Before she was murdered.

Rebekah shook her head as though doing so would expel the thoughts forever. What if the lady on the answering machine was right, and Julian was just a sicko whose good looks hypnotized young vulnerable girls into believing they were someone they weren't. Clearly, if she had been Christine, she would have never _ever_ even have considered leaving Erik for a fop.

Yet in her heart she knew she probably would have. The shallowness of it felt like lead in her stomach, which made her want to vomit. She would have went with what was safe, just because she was too scared to deal with the consequences of taking a risk.

But she had taken a risk. She went with Julian yesterday, and by doing so, put her complete trust into a complete stranger that could very well be a certifiable lunatic.

With a sigh, Rebekah stood up and went to change. After unhooking the stays on the back of the wedding dress, as she went to take the gown off, she remembered the mirror. She taped a blanket over it and changed. Then she went back to the vanity to put on her shoes.

No sooner thanRebekah had sat down did he speak, causing her to jump. "That was completely unnecessary, you know"

Julian was just as attractive as ever. In the dull candle light his eyes sparkled ferociously. The snowy color of his hair was turned to a golden sheen. He wore all black as, she suspected, was usual.

"What was?" Rebekah asked, too distracted by his sudden (gorgeous) appearance to make sense of what he had just said.

"The blanket." He gestured nonchalantly over his left shoulder at the covered up mirror.

Her cheeks turned pink. "I didn't want you to be standing there watching me change, even though you probably stood there every other time…"

He interrupted her with "But not the last time because you never changed."

Her blush increased. "So you admit it! You stood there and watched!"

Julian laughed. "I am a Shadow Man. We are confined to the shadows. Watching is what we do." He shrugged and gestured to the corner by the wardrobe. "Besides I stood over there the other times anyway, so even if you had covered the mirror the other times, it would have been pointless."

His smile increased as a look of pure, disgusted horror crossed Rebekah's face. "What? Are you ashamed?"

"Are you serious? Am I ashamed? You watched me get dressed! Don't I deserve some privacy?"

"Not when you could be killed at any second." He said, his mood darkening once more.

Rebekah gathered her purse and started to the door. She was only stopped by Julian's light grasp upon her forearm.

Looking down at the hand which seemed to barely touch her, hold her still, and burn into her very being, she trembled.

Julian drew her to him. Her hands rested lightly on his chest and she slowly forced herself to look at him. Those eyes. They seemed so familiar.

"You are remembering me?" Julian asked, his voice sounding almost as breathless as she felt.

"What? Oh…no, I… It's just…. Your eyes, I could swear I have seen them before all of this." She blushed again realizing she probably sounded like a complete idiot.

He smile tugged at his lips but didn't form. "When you were Jenny, my eyes haunted your nightmares. You saw them in the closet of your grandfather's basement when the Elders took him."

Rebekah started to back away, but his arms had found themselves around her and she couldn't move. Julian sighed, "Why are you so intent on fighting me?"

"You come out of no where and start spurting out these stories that sound ridiculous. What did you slip me that made me fucked up enough to believe that I had traveled through time. You should market it, you know? You'd make a fortune."

Julian's eyes darkened. "So. You believe that warning that I am some psychopath out to make you lose your mind?" His grip on her grew fiercer. "I am not going to let you die again."

Struggling to free herself, "I am not going to die." Rebekah proclaimed through clenched teeth.

Instead of arguing with her, he answered her with a kiss. Rebekah felt her legs collapse. If it wasn't for the fact that Julian had her in his arms, she was sure she would have fallen.

A knock at the door tore them apart.

"Rebekah are you still here?" Ryan called from the other side of the door.

Rebekah turned back to look at Julian, but he was gone. The disappearing was annoying her. "Yeah, why did you come back? I told you I was fine."

The door opened and Ryan looked at her skeptically. "You don't need to be walking home alone, I'll drive you."

Rolling her eyes, Rebekah walked through the doorway ahead of him. She barely heard him mutter "What the hell do you do back here anyway?"


	11. Dream of Me

_There is a big spoiler for The Forbidden Game, vol 3 The Kill in this chapter, as well as some suggestive issues of things that may or may not come. Not telling (and pun was not intended).

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**Chapter 11**

Julian watched from the shadows as Rebekah exited the car. He watched her try to hastily get to the house and suppress a groan of annoyance when Ryan came running up to accompany her. Julian withheld a chuckle. He couldn't help being satisfied by her obviously growing disgust of that boy. It took her what, three lifetimes, to figure out that he was boring?

Rebekah was closing the door on Ryan, dismissing him with the complaint of exhaustion. Ryan stared at the closed door a few moments in disbelief, but eventually walked back to his car and drove away. Julian vanished into the shadows, emerging from them once more in the dark corner of Rebekah's bedroom.

She was already asleep.

Julian stood there, at first a little guilty for being the reason she was so exhausted, then bummed because he exhausted her not in a way he would have truly liked to have. In the far corner of her room, he watched the silent rise and fall of Rebekah's chest as she slumbered on dreamlessly. She hadn't even changed clothes or pulled down the covers. She had merely flopped into bed and passed out. Julian wanted to make her more comfortable, but he knew that contact with her would not be the best thing at the moment. Every time he saw her act out that production brought back so many memories. It was a badly revised version of déjà vu, but still, it had the same effect every evening.

Julian leaned against the wall and watched. He always watched. It was his whole meaning of life to stand in the shadows and watch, never touching, never knowing, never even feeling anything. His race had been forbidden long ago by the Norse Gods never to venture into another of the nine worlds. Niflheim was his home, and his prison. Ice, shadows, and the Elders. The outskirts of the world also called Hel: the realm of Hela, the Queen of the dead. She favored him slightly, but only because of the impact Frigga had on lesser Gods. He remembered Rebekah's reaction last time, when she was known as Jenny, to seeing his world out the window of the between world he used to play his so-called game. She described it as "when the devil goes ice-skating." The cliché of hell freezing over, that nobody but a few ever lived to recall, was actually the truth. There was a fiery hell, but all that resided there were the fire giants. They weren't exactly intent on torturing the already dead; they preferred living victims for tormenting. What the fire giants and the Shadow Men had in common was one thing, they loved feasting on mortals.

The Elders had almost sunk their teeth into his Rebekah, or Jenny back then, twice. Remembering this was when the force hit him hard in the chest. Rebekah was only mortal. If he was actually able to save her this time, and he would be, she would still grow old and die. Julian could make himself appear to age, sure, but he would never die. He would never get sick, he would never grow weak, he would live forever soulless and heartbroken after his lover died in his arms of natural causes. Life wasn't fair. A grim giggle, near hysteria escaped his lips. He caught himself before it gave into hysterical laughter, for he didn't want to wake Rebekah up. Hadn't he told her that last time, numerous times. Life wasn't fair.

_Reality has teeth and claws._

Julian grimaced. He wouldn't die and she would inevitably pass on, possibly not coming back if they were successful this time because his purpose had been fulfilled. He closed his eyes. True, he had died once, somewhat. No he didn't die, he reminded himself, soulless creatures don't die. They cease to exist. He vanished from existence altogether, dissolved in front of her. Seeing her tears flow for him as her touch got further away, and then there was nothing. A great void. _Gunnunga-gap_: the nothingness that existed between Niflheim and Muspelheim before any lifeform thought to evolve into existance. It was cold, quiet but screamingly so, and so very dark. Though he ceased to exist, that was all he could remember of the time between being written out and brought back.

He had been the sacrifice for her life. A sacrifice inevitably made in vain._Gebo_: the rune of sacrifice-and also meaning a gift. His gift had been to give her her life. She had died five hours afterwards. Or at least, she went missing at that point. The details were foggy, but Rebekah alone held the clues and details inside her pretty little head and he would uncover them. Frigga had seen the sacrifice he, a soulless creature who learned to love, had made and had made a dealing with Hela for his sake. His name was rewritten into the Stave of Life by Hela herself. In the same spot the Elders had carved him out of, thus restoring everything as it was, nothing forgotten. If not for Frigga, whom he will forever be eternally grateful, he would still not exist.

Except for in Rebekah's subconscious.

Jenny had promised to keep him alive in her dreams. Unfortunately for them both, she never got the chance to make good on those words. A smile curled across his face. Well, Julian thought to himself wickedly, it is high time she uptake her end of the bargain.

* * *

Rebekah found herself in the middle of a gigantic, lush palace. The curtains and the furniture were all decorated, and of the richest velvets. The colors were dark jewel tones, violets, and burgundy. Large, exotic plants stood in the corners. A large golden chandelier, which put the one of the Paris Opera House to shame, hung over head. The room was aglow with what seemed like hundreds of flickering candles. But there was equally enough shadows as there was light. Nearby, where the shadows were the heaviest, a soft tone was being played. 

Turning around to see behind her, she had expected an entry way, but there was none. Instead, the entire wall was one huge mirror. What she saw made her jaw drop and let escape a startled gasp. She didn't recognize her own reflection. It had her features, true, but she was not a princess as the image before her had to be.

She was draped in a blue velvet gown, the very color of a pair of eyes that she couldn't place for some reason but knew she had seen. She became acutely aware that she was wearing a corset. She was actually wearing a corset! Like her boobs had needed any more of a lift to make them anymore enlarged. It didn't look half bad she thought, and turned to get a side view. Though the dress only showed a small amount of cleavage, she still felt slightly risqué. The sleeves of the gown were skin tight to her elbows before flaring out. The dress didn't have any hoops or lacey poofs to it. It was a regular looking dress, but so not normal all the same. What made it not normal, beside the vivid color, was the hundreds of sapphires and diamonds sewn in it.

Her blonde hair were in thick ringlets, spilling about her shoulders, and over the sides of a silver tiara encrusted with matching sapphires and diamonds. And she had matching earrings and a necklace to boot. She only had one ring. The ring she had found in her room the other morning. It didn't come off her finger when she tried to take it off to look at the inscription again.

The music hit an unexpected crescendo, causing the lights to flare briefly as if on command. But it was enough time for her to see him, reflected in that massive mirror, sitting at a piano concealed once more by the shadows. He had worn all black velvet. It clung to him like second skin. His hair gleamed like silver in the briefly illuminated candlelight glow. He was undeniably gorgeous and he was walking out from the shadows now towards her. The silence was deafening. Part of her was too shocked to move, or even turn around to face him. The other part was in such an ecstatic state of anticipation it was agonizing. Time seemed to have slowed down. Rebekah felt her heart thundering in her chest. She heard, and was embarrassed by, her sudden and sharp intake of breath. She even heard each step Julian took to get to her as a loud, deafening echo. The man was truly taking an eternity to get to her, and she was practically about to swoon.

She didn't even have time to blink. Somehow, he went from so far away and behind her to in front of her, so close that she had to let her nails bite into her palms to keep her hands from reaching out and touching him. From seeing if the black velvet would be as soft and warm as his skin underneath it would be. His eyes burned blue like the core of a flame. Rebekah felt herself blush from head to toe once she realized his gaze hadn't once waved from hers. She forced herself to look away.

Julian's hand reached out to cup her cheek, stopping just before he actually touched her. She bit her lip, silently willing herself not to lean into it. Her lip started to bleed.

He touched her then. He used his thumb to wipe away the tiny droplet of blood, then took it upon himself to kiss away any amount of hurt she may have inflicted on herself. But before she could so much as make her brain function again, or react he pulled away.

"May I have this dance?" He asked, sounding as breathless himself as she was. He waited until she managed to recover just enough brain functioning to nod at will.

The piano seemed to have started playing on its own now. Julian crushed her up against him and they danced. He head rested on his shoulder, but as soon as it had the memories came back like bricks hitting her in the face.

_Julian standing in the Erkling's cavern. The white leather tunic blending in with his hair. She had asked him if he was enjoying his part as the king of the dark elves. "Immensely," he had replied with a grin. They took a stroll through the caverns, and he gifted her with a rose made out of the silver found in the mines of Nidavillar, the Norse world of the dwarves._

_Julian in the Tunnel of Love and Despair, crudely insulting her and her friends. Looking as lost as ever, while the torch light played off the gold of his arm band._

_Julian fading away before her eyes after giving up his life for hers. Her tears falling over him, as she promised to dream him into a better place devoid of shadows._

Rebekah had stopped breathing. Julian stopped the dance, the music automatically ceased, and stared at her. He looked worried. "You are remembering?" He asked, looking somewhere between deeply concerned and like a lost little boy. She nodded, slowly finding her voice.

"You died for me. Why?"

His face automatically lost all expression. "Yes, and no. Shadow Men are created by magic, therefore they are never born. Those who aren't born cannot die. They cease to exist. As to why…" He sounded angry now. Good Lord, this man was moody. "If you can't answer that on your own…"

He didn't have to finish the sentence. She knew why, she had felt it in the memories. She felt it now. He had loved her, still did. The Elders would have spent decades, perhaps longer, drawing out her torment, feasting on her soul like candy. Julian, the youngest of his race, had never once feasted. She remembered the confession as though it was yesterday. The Elders thought he was strange. But he had loved her.

Rebekah couldn't control it, and felt the single tear that escaped the shelter of her eye. She saw the anger leave his face instantly, as though her one little tear had washed it away. Something in those eyes told her that he wanting nothing more than to kiss that tear away and heal her heart, to keep it from breaking, especially over him or anything he had done to hurt it. But instead, he stepped.

"This was a mistake," he said.

Everything went black.

* * *

Julian stared longingly at Rebekah's sleeping form. Seeing the confused frown that that formed there. As he withdrew from her dreams. He could have had her then, he thought to himself. It was an extremely tempting moment. She had finally recognized and accepted that he loved her. But he didn't want her in her dreams. Well he did, but he would rather have her in reality. He knew he had to let her make that decision on her own, however. Until then, he could wait. Waiting is what Shadow Men do. Loneliness comes easy to the exiled. 


	12. A Heartfelt Confession

_Sorry it has been so long without an update. I have been SO busy! This chapter is not very long, I needed a transition into the next chapter and this did it perfectly. I finally re-edited chapters 4-11 for errors, so hopefully I got them all._

_Thank you to everyone who reviewed, I love to hear your comments so keep them coming. I hope I can continue to entertain you with this fic for a while longer. :)

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**Chapter 12**

Rebekah woke up sometime after sunrise. Glancing begrudgingly at the alarm clock, which betrayed the time to be just after seven, she stretched her body out in a silent plea to her body to get up and out of bed.

After about fifteen minutes of the silent self conflict, Rebekah found herself strolling down the hall to the bathroom.

Out of habit, Rebekah glanced up at the mirror as she entered the bathroom.

And froze.

Golden ringlets fell messily over her shoulders and embraced a silver tiara with diamonds and sapphires.

Everything went black. Again.

* * *

This time when Rebekah woke up, she was on the couch in the living room staring through sleep blurred eyes into Julian's vivid blue ones across the room. 

"Good morning," He said calmly. As though pulling her through time wasn't enough, he had to continue his little adventures through her dreams too. Damn her subconscious, it really was starting to become it's own whore if it kept up like this.

"Mmfph." Rebekah replied. It was now eight in the morning, according to the grandfather clock in the corner.

They stared at each other in awkward silence. Julian's gaze never wavering; Rebekah nervously twirling her hair. Her hair which was made up for a royal ball.

Her nervous gaze turned into a glare, to which Julian merely arched an eyebrow.

"Why did you go into my dream last night? What, are you afraid that you will fail in reality so you use my dreams as a way to seduce me? If I hadn't remembered a few things about my last lifetime with you, would you have raped me in my sleep? Me being too tired and…well….seducible….in my subconscious?"

Julian simply stared at her for a moment, eyes locked to hers as always. He didn't answer her just yet. However, he moved away from the wall he was leaning on and knelt down before Rebekah. Taking her hand in his (the one that she had failed to noticed still contained a certain gold ring on it), Julian let out a sigh so low that she almost missed it.

"Rebekah, I have been alive for thousands of years. I may not be a man per say, but I am undoubtedly male.." at this he caught Rebekah's gaze venture to his crotch, but didn't comment on it considering the moment was awkward enough. He had retrived her other hand as well, which brought her attention back to his face. "I have never taken from your body, besides a few kisses, without your consent. My race may be vile, evil, demons that would without a second thought take from you as they like. I am not like them. I _Love_ you, Rebekah. If we were ever to go further than a few innocent kisses, it would be because you asked me for it. No games. No facades. Not in a dream. It would be just you and me, and it would be a new step for us both. I know as much as you on the whole mating process. You will be my first, Rebekah. And you will be my last. And if you were to deny me, I would go into celibacy joyfully because no one else could replace you in my heart."

Besides the almost impossible will it took to suppress a remark on "innocent kisses," Rebekah honestly didn't know what to say to him after that. Her checks were flushed, and her hands had started to shake. She wondered if Julian had noticed, which of course he probably had but was being too gallant at moment to comment. The tear that escaped her control was completely unexpected.

It was that break in her control that lead that single tear to be followed by others just like it. Julian pulld her into his embrace, silently willing her to cry it out and get her emotions and thoughts under control.

Rebekah wasn't sure just how long she stayed wrapped up in Julian's arms, sobbing her heart out. Despite all her fears and unease concerning him, the speech was the final confirmation to her heart that Julian was not a liar. He did love her, and would never let anything happen to her -- this time. Yet she had turned on him not once, but twice. She cared for Ryan, she really did, but now she just wasn't sure of her destiny any more.

Sniffling, Rebekah pulled away from Julian to get ready for rehearsal. Julian stopped her. Apparently, an "accident" occurred and the whole campus is without power for the next two days.

* * *

"Fess up. You did it." Rebekah said, after the answering machine replayed the message from the school a third time. 

"Did what?" Julian said, eyes wide in mock naiveté .

"Fine then. Don't tell me how you did it."

"There's nothing to tell" Julian insisted smugly.

"So, what do you suppose we do then?"

"I was thinking, that since you have a now open schedule, and I have no prior engagements, that it is high time we take a trip into Jenny's subconscious since you so thoroughly opened that up last night."

Rebekah, who was heading towards the kitchen for some juice, stopped in her tracks. "Are you sure? You _did _say you didn't really want me to see that side of you again."

Julian uncharacteristically shrugged. "Might as well. See if we can't find anything suspicious."

"I'll just get dressed then." Rebekah said and hurried to her room, forgetting about her juice.

Neither of them noticed the figure looking in through the window.

* * *

Ryan turned from the window, paler than the freshly fallen snow…if it had actually snowed. 

The woman standing a few feet away from him smiled. "See. I _told_ you she has been sneaking around with some bleached-blonde guy."


	13. Revelations

_ side note about this chapter, I felt slightly poetic. And I am thinking of writing a poem using this first half, but we will see ;)_

**

* * *

Chapter 13 **

Rebekah moved her hand over ancient chess sets and ancient, antique games. Polished pawns, and marble rooks; ivory animal figures and backgammon sets made of the smoothest, jet-black onyx. Rune sets carved from bones, and at long last the smooth, glossy-white, unmarked box which practically thrummed with an essence of caution from its position on the counter in which Julian lounged against while watching her from slited eyes, reminiscent of a cat's silently stalking its prey.

Her right hand wavered over the box lid, left hand at her side curling with anticipation of the mystery and excitement, and the strong sense of déjà vu that clung to the air surrounding it.

Julian, always watchful, was as still as a statue. Heartbreakingly beautiful, regal in stance, the man looked like sculpted art. Every feature perfection, and vividly detailed. At first glance he appeared nonchalant, but looking into his eyes…

Those eyes, those deadly blue depths which seem bottomless -- a hollow sapphire abyss in which held the knowledge of the world a thousand times over. Knowing every era, every trend, every single passing fad which was ever in existence; yet never having been given the chance to partake in a single one.

Watching silently, longingly, from far away and alone - amongst the shadows; the only thing he had to consider a home.

Waiting, wishing, needing something, anything, to make this life worth it's immortal longevity. Why live a life without purpose? What reason was there for his existence? Who molded his essence into what he has become?

The light came through the stained glass windows and spilled the spectrum of colors over her face. Violet, blues, red, and shimmering emeralds the exact color of her eyes .

Time no longer seemed relevant.

Locked in a gaze, a mutual understanding. Lifetimes of knowledge silently passing between them in a quiet reverie in which she knew him as the monster he truly was, and once looked the part. He saw in her the shy chorus girl he had once loved, the light in those emerald eyes blazing with the maturity of a womanhood that had been cut short twice before. He saw the girl he once met in this very place, buying a game for her boyfriend's birthday party. And he saw her now; exquisitely evolved and less meek. As beautiful as she once was, but more so. Her soul was vibrant with inellengence and had envolved to meet him dead on, and with more confidence than ever before.

She was his equal, and he hers. He would have her… this time. He would not fail. The billions of molecules of life surrounding them, suspended in the moment buzzed in time with his epiphany; this was his time…and she would be his, finally. After the heartbreak, the deformities, the betrayal, and his sacrifice… This time he would finally know love, and keep it.


	14. Gebo

**Chapter 14**

Rebekah felt herself staring and shook herself slightly breaking the trance. Julian was wearing a strange expression on his face, as though he had just discovered the secret of life itself straight from the mouth of the Almighty God.

She turned her attention back towards the box -- a monopoly game size box, not a mark on it. She recognized it of course. Inside the box was a cardboard dollhouse, and a game. It was the game she bought for Ryan -Tom- for his birthday. As soon as you start the game however, Julain pulled you into his world only to then force you to live your worst nightmares. He had used it to try to trick her, Jenny, into giving in and being with him forever.

Rebekah didn't even see Julian move away from the counter to move directly behind her. She was completely enthralled by the box's presence that she didn't notice him move so close, yet not touching. He leaned over her shoulder to whisper directly into her ear. "Mystery."

Rebekah jumped slightly, but his hands clasped her arms and held her still. He move to her other ear to whisper again. "Danger."

Rebekah squirmed, but Julian's grip held her still. His right hand let go suddenly and he grasped her hip, gently squeezing suggestively, and then sliding it tentatively down her thigh. "Seduction."

Rebekah felt her knees shaking violently, threatening to give way. He turned her to face him, eyes glinting in the light of the stained glass. The small antique game shop looked sinister in the lack of light. "Fear," he said suddenly nipping the side of her neck and causing her to whimper, and goosebumps to spring to life across her body. She hadn't even seen him bend in towards her to do it.

She heard the sound of bones clunking together from her right. Julian held a leather cup of the bone carved runes in his left hand, shaking it. She looked up into his eyes and felt her self control suddenly failing at a rapid pace. He flung the contents of the cup onto the counter, spilling over the white surface of the box. Runes scattered everywhere, tumbling off the counterand onto the floor. All but one.

"Secrets revealed." Julian said, but she barely heard him and stared at the one rune left on top of the glossy surface. _Gebo_. The rune of sacrifice, love, death, and sexuality. It was shaped as a capital 'X,' but it's deep carving into the bone gaped wickedly up at her. _Gebo_. She used it to free the souls in her trip in Niflheim, she remembered it vaguely. Her grandfather was trapped in the arcade as the fortune teller. Julian took her place as the Elders demanded her soul in place of the ones she set free. Sacrifice. Although not just a sacrifice; a gift. Julian told her before he faded away, _Did you know Gebo isn't just the rune of sacrifice? It means a gift, too. You gave me a gift you know. You showed me what it was like to love. What the universe could be like, _**if**. Rebekah controled the tears that threatened to spill at the memory of it.

Her gaze shifted to him. His eyes burned into her, like two blue flames. Before she knew what he would do he pulled the black T-shirt over his head leaving nothing but a golden tanned torso, lean but ripped with muscle, and screaming-to-be-touched silky, smooth skin. "Desires Unveiled." His gaze didn't waver.

He didn't have to say the last word, she remembered it all too well now. "Temptation." She had said it slowly, pronouncing each syllable distinctly like he had done in this very spot before, in another lifetime. Although…he had kept his shirt on then, and had a snake tattooed around his wrist.

His lips curled into a smile, but he didn't make a move towards her. His chest lifted and fell heavily, as though each second that passed by was even harder to bear.

Her mind had lost all ability to function. Her body on the other hand, took complete control. Her hands had found their way to his chest. The body beneath them was solid, smooth, and warm. His eyes closed and he slowly exhaled as though he was trying to keep himself contained. Her hands ran upward, grazing his nipples and going to his shoulders, then down his arms to his hands. She took his hands in hers and brought them to her waist. His hands trembled slightly, and he opened his eyes, unsure of what she was suggesting to him.

"It's okay," Rebekah said slowly, taking a deep breath. "I want you to."

Julian swallowed, and stared. His hands tightened on her hips, but she didn't seem to mind it.

"Julian." She said, breathlessly. " I _need_ you to."

"You don't know what you are asking? How long I've… not here. I can't do it here." He pulled his hands from her and turned his back towards her. "Not this place. This is where I deceived her,…deceived you. It isn't right. Not in this place between my world and yours."

He ran his fingers lightly over a sheet of paper on a bulletin board that Rebekah was only able to decipher having seen it once before.

WELC

OMET

OMYW

ORLD

_Welcome to my world._ She _needed_ to be in his world. Her body was screaming for it. She kept him in celibacy for centuries, and her soul felt equally constrained and needed a release. Damn him for his insufferable mood swings.

"Okay then. Where would you like to be then?"

Julian turned around, a look of shock crossed his features. "Nowhere but with you."

"You _are_ with me, damn it. Julian! You are with me right now!" She didn't recall reaching for him, but she had him in her arms. His shoulders threatened to tremble, and she felt his inward struggle fighting itself within him. She also felt his more external struggle against her left thigh, which only worsened the situation for her. Damn, being a virgin could royally suck….not that it was a bad thing, but damn. Nuns must not be entirely human to live without some things becoming a burden…

"Julian," She said soothingly, hand rubbing his back in comforting maner, "Where do you want us to go. We can be together Julian, you just got to let me in. Stop trying to keep control all the time. We are going to get through this, I am with you. And I have never felt safer."

Julian pulled back and looked at her, searching for a catch. He couldn't find any hint that she was being less thn sincere. He had had an epiphany only moments ago that she would finaly be his, and now she was offering herself to him freely. She wanted to give him her body.

He shouldn't do it. Every ounce of logic told him not to. Every molecule in his body told him he _had_ to. The true nature of his being demanded him to do it without a second thought, and no remorse. He needed her. He needed to have her, to taste her, to claim her._Now._

One hand went to her waist, and the other caressed her cheek. The he pulled her to him and kissed her so fiercely her legs did give way.

"_What are you going to do_?" She gasped, asking the question she had once asked, when he visited her in a dream, giving her hints to help her in his little game.

"_I'm going to kiss you_…" he said, echoing the memory perfectly, smiling against her lips, "_Until you faint_."

The world got blurry and she felt as though gravity had stopped and she was floating aimlessly, while still in Julian's arms. Frantic kisses stealing her breath, and her consciousness level on a dangerous brink of actually fainting.

Suddenly the world righted itself, but instead of being in the _More Games_ store, where Jenny and Julian's story had began, they were in the middle of a tropical jungle. The trees were so tall that they canopied over them and only small rays of sun beamed down on to them. A crystal clear lake was to her left, a massive waterfall spilling into it. Julian broke the kiss and smiled at her.

Before Rebekah knew what was going to happen next, she was lifted from the ground and held tightly against his chest. He was walking towards the waterfall, where she saw a dark cave peeking out from behind it.

She felt like she was in a dream , though she knew this time she was wide awake. She was going to give something to this man, to Julian, that she had never thought of giving away to anyone. Yet, she knew she had to. If something were to go wrong this time, she couldn't let him go through another lifetime not knowing what he so desperately needed to know. _Gebo_, she thought. His gift to her was life - which she didn't get to live, but he was giving her another shot at it. Now, she was going to give him a gift in return, even if he fails to keep her alive, she would repay his sacrifice with one of her own. Julian wanted to claim her body and soul, and this time she would let him.


	15. Everything Is Perfect

**Chapter 15**

They had gone through the waterfall, and there _was_ a cave on the other side as she had thought. Rebekah pushed the wet hair out of her face with one hand, and clung to Julian with the other arm around his neck. The water was warm, but the cave with slightly cool and she shivered against him. It was dark, and she couldn't see anything past the firstten feet in. Apparently he could, having lived in shadows and the dark for so long, and he kept a steady pace into the cave.

He walked with her for some time, but she lost knowledge of time as the went. She was nervous, excited, and a little scared. She knew it would hurt, but she couldn't fathom how much and that worried her. She had complete trust in Julian, and she was certain he wouldn't make it too horrible. Besides, he was a bit on the magical side.

Before her thoughts could continue, he lowered her onto a soft surface that felt like a feather mattress. The next instant the cave was lit by hundreds of candles all around. She looked down and saw she was on nothing other than a swan bed. She couldn't help but smile at the thought. She had completely dried off, and only just realized it. Julian however was still dripping wet, and in the candle light the water rivulets formed gold streaks down his body as they snaked between the ripples of muscle on his torso. Rebekah felt her throat instantly go dry.

Apparently, Julian hadn't lost his knack at reading her thoughts from her because he leaned against the cave wall and stared at her, a faint smile hanging on his lips. "You don't have to do this you know. I know you think you are being noble, but I don't want you to do anything you may live to regret."

"I want to do it." Rebekah said. "And yes I am nervous, I can't help but be nervous, and with you constantly trying to talk me out of it, it doesn't help one's self esteem when they are trying to be all seductive."

Julian's jaw dropped open. "Seductive? You? When have you been trying to be seductive?" He asked teasingly.

"Oh, don't tell me you thought it was _all_ you…"

Julian grinned and shook similarly to that of a dog, and he was dry. He advanced towards the bed and her heart beat faster in anticipation. Oh God, what was she supposed to _do_?

Before she had time to think any further, Julian had pulled her to him and was kissing her. She felt all the emotions flowing through him. His desire was being extremely obvious, and she suppressed a nervous giggle. His hands were on her waist, but his right hand slowly made it's way upward to her breast. He cupped it gently and Rebekah gasped into his kiss, feeling him smile against her lips. His tongue delved into her mouth, and his hand squeezed tighter.

She wasn't aware of her hands working the clasp on his belt until she yanked it free. She stared at it in her hand blankly and Julian chuckled. "I'll show you mine…" he said teasingly, and snapped his fingers. Her jeans and sweater, and not to mention really cute boots which were ruined anyway thanks to the water fall, were history.

Rebekah's eyes widened in shock at her sudden case of nudity and she tried to cover herself. Julian didn't give her time to by kissing her fiercely. It wasn't until he was backing her towards the bed that she realized his pants were gone now too.

He lifted her up and lay her back on the bed, sliding along side her. He propped himself up on his side, resting his head on his hand while the other rested lightly on her stomach. Her breathing was already faster than normal, and his hand upon her naked flesh was more than she could stand. Reading her as thoroughly as usual, Julian's hand slide lower, caressing her inner thigh. She sighed with contentment, and completely did not expect it when he let one of his fingers enter her.

She moaned in a mix of pleasure and shock. Julian leaned forward to taste her nipple. Her hands both grasped handfuls of his hair, holding him to her. He teased her thoroughly with his mouth, and his hand, and as quickly as this assault was placed upon her, he withdrew.

Rebekah bit her lip to restrain herself from protesting, but Julian caught the silent plea that remained in her eyes. She needed this as much as he did. There would be time to explore each other's bodies later, but for now they needed release. It had been far too long…. And the swan bed was _finally_ being useful.

He moved himself between her thighs, and spread them open. Rebekah gasped and trembled, Julian swallowed and paused long enough to gain his composure as he gazed at the slick treasure before him hidden beneath dark curls. She was his. After all these years. _Finally_.

He slinked across her like a predatory cat stalking it's prey and claimed her mouth once again. As she gave herself over to him fully through the kiss, he took her in one quick, hard thrust.

She clenched. She had bit into _his_ lip and both of them remained completely still. He probably should try something to ease her pain some, but it wouldn't be right to take away _all_ the pain. It was her sacrifice, and she had a right to know the consequences of it. But he wouldn't allow her too much as to ruin the pleasure for her at all.

Time passed slowly, and all they could do is stare at each other until she cold force her body to relax and do it's natural work. Finally, she moved her hipsa littleand sucked in a breath.

"Are you okay?" He asked her, sounding weak.

Rebekah nodded. " I-I think so."

Julian kissed her forehead and pulled almost all the way out, and thrust himself back into her. Rebekah squeaked. "Did I hurt you?" Julian asked staying completely still.

"No, I was surprised is all…Oh my God, did I just squeak at you?"

Julian smiled and controlled himself from laughing. "It's okay baby, any noise you make in my bed is a good one."

Rebekah giggled.

"Except that one" Julian, looking down at were they were joined.

"Oh, I don't think you have _any_ trouble there." She hadn't gotten a _real_ good look at him before, but she saw enough to state that the whole "made into perfection" part of the Shadow Man lore was _not_ untrue.

And so they preceded to do what lovers had always come together to do. It felt slightly primitive inside of the cave, but it seemed natural. It seemed right. Everything was perfect.

They had started off slowly, getting accustomed to the feel of each other, and then things got frantic. Rebekah felt as though she had be torn asunder and she would never be put back together. Julian clung to her as though taking his hands off her would result in her being ripped away from him forever.

Everything, at that moment, was completely and utterly perfect.


	16. Secrets Revealed

_Sorry about the uberlong wait; writer's block. An intense case of it. Probably doesn't help that I am writing 3 stories at once here, different fandoms. So I have to go with which ever one is talking to me at the moment. And this one didn't want to talk to me for a while. But good news, tonight it was in my ear whispering sweet nothings, like answering one major question: Who? enjoy, and comments are appreciated :)_

_

* * *

_**Chapter 16**

Ryan sat in the recliner inside the woman's hotel suite. What was he doing there? His girlfriend was off with some punk, and he is in some older lady's hotel suite? Talk about the _Lifetime_ movie special of the week… not that he watched them or anything.

"So, um…Miss…. What'd you say your name was again?" Ryan asked as the auburn- haired lady came into the room with some sodas.

She looked up, surprised. "Oh how silly of me, I completely forgot to tell you. Memory gets fickle with age. Little things slip your mind, though the bigger things always remain." She held out a hand in formal greeting. "My name is Audrey Meyers, pleased to make you acquaintance, Ryan."

"Ok, that's nice Ms. Meyers," he eyed her finger with no wedding ring, and wondered how likely it would be to be the one man raped by a woman. Of course he'd be able to fight her off and all, and was far from worried about that ever happening to him, but still she looked to be in her forties. Something was really strange about this whole situation. He cleared his throat, "But how do you know me and why did you come to my house this morning to show me proof my girlfriend is cheating on me, and most of all, what does this have to do with you?"

Audrey sighed, feigning pity for the young man's concerns. "Well, it is the boy that is with your girlfriend that is the concern. I am an agent for government, and that particular young man is a highly dangerous escapee from a mental facility. We don't wish to alarm the public by announcing his escape and all, mostly sense he has just attached himself to Miss Rebekah Lawley."

"Why Rebekah and nobody else? I know she is gorgeous and sweet, but seriously why single out one girl."

Audrey pulled a folder out of the desk nearby. "He didn't just randomly single her out." She pulled a photo out of the folder and placed it down in front of him. He was staring at a picture of Rebekah. "Okay, so you have a picture of her. What does that prove?"

Audrey rolled her eyes and pulled out the newspaper clipping that was also in the folder. The headline read June 5, 1980, but it had the same picture of Rebekah. It couldn't be possible, Rebekah wasn't even born until 1984. Ryan glanced up at Audrey in confusion.

Striking similarity, don't you think. He is after Rebekah because she looks like this woman, Jennifer Thornton, God rest her soul."

"Why?" Ryan asked, still in shock over the whole situation.

"Why? Because he is insane. He played games with Thornton and in the end, when she wasn't impressed with him, he killed her, her boyfriend, cousin, and three of her friends. Only one of her friends that were subject to his little games survived."

"Oh really, and who would that be?" Ryan said feeling nauseas.

"That would be me." Audrey said, sitting on the table across from him with a grin.

* * *

Rebekah was unsure when she had fallen asleep, but when she woke she was in her bed - curled against Julian. And what made it even better was that she was curled against a very naked Julian. With his eyes closed he really did look like a angel. He was so gorgeous that she still could not find the right words to describe the man. 

Julian's eyes opened and his lips quirked into a smile at seeing her gazing at him with happiness. The fact that she really did need to get out of bed and get things done, such as study, broke her heart.

Julian couldn't describe the emotions flowing through his veins. She was everything he knew she would be and more. She was light, precious radiating light, and she warmed his heart in a way he thought was never even possible. She would not die this time. He would not allow it.

It had come to him suddenly, the pieces he couldn't place together. He had suspected it was Audrey for a while now, but now that he thought on it the only person he hadn't sensed was Audrey. Jenny had been Christine, and was now Rebekah. Ryan had been both Tom and Raoul. Ashley had been Meg and Summer. Audrey was Carlotta. He suddenly recalled the way the girl could use various languages and pick up the accents. She must have moved out of the country and picked up an accent permanely now.

He was actually embarrassed that he hadn't really figured ot before, it was completley simple. But looking at Rebekah now, knowing that without his little excursions they might not have shared this day... It was worth his bad judgements.

Julian had to tell Rebekah what he had been able to confirm, but it could wait another hour, surely. He was going to enjoy basking in light at least one more time before worrying about that conniving woman who couldn't leave well alone.

* * *

"Julian. He calls himself Julian, but whether or not that is his actual name is unknown. We have not been able to accurately identify the man either. He has no record, no anything but that one name." 

"He didn't look older than twenty-one." Ryan said, skeptically, still leaning back in the chair where he had been effectively sulking for the past twenty minutes.

"Not all of us age badly." Audrey said in a clipped tone. Truth is, once Rebekah tires of Julian's attention she will be a goner.

"It says in the article that Jennifer shot all her friends, but her boyfriend managed to gut her before dying himself. There is no mention of Julian anywhere in this article."

Audrey snatched it from him. "Of course there isn't. This was before they discovered the truth. I was in the hospital being treated for shock, and couldn't say a word about a boy named Julian till I came out of it."

Ryan was still skeptical, but what could he do. If this dude was trouble and he was with Rebekah…

"What do you need me to do?"

"Firstly, don't make it known that you know. Next Friday offer to take her to her play but go somewhere else. Take her somewhere safe, as a date. Tell me when you pick the location so I can ensure that there are officers near by to keep you safe."

"And until then?"

"Stay with her as often as possible. He will not show his face if you are with her. He will stay hidden."

"He's a coward then?"

Audrey threw her head back and laughed. "Julian? A coward? If only you should be so lucky."


End file.
